1994-96... Renovation of houses and clearing and preparing garden areas
1997...Approached several local restaurants with a small range of fresh herbs and leaves- back then anything other than Thyme, Parsley, or Cos lettuce was an exotic and arrived limp and tasteless via the Paris wholesale market. Began two year conversion of land into Organic status.

2000... Expanded the range of plants to include edible flowers. Started our "micro nursery" for customers looking for the plants that they had eaten, or heard of but could not find. Selling on local plant fairs and open gardens. Run occasional day courses to introduce plants that deserve to be better known,-their tastes, growing requirements and uses.

2014... Last season of restaurant deliveries. We needed to slow down a little and have time to restore our own garden long neglected with all the other work. we Continue with our nursery plants and fairs, and have helped several chefs plant their own herb gardens.More time to grow some vegetables for us and guests and to begin a new garden project....

The Forest Garden

After 20 years of cultivation our potager and the gardeners too,were needing some time to recover. Following an inspiring 3 day course at the Agroforestry Research Trust garden in Totnes, we returned with the idea that this type of garden would be an ideal use for some of our former potager area. Planting perennial food plants instead of annual vegetables saves a lot of work -less weeding and watering, helps build a healthier soil- no digging and is more resilient to the changes in climate. Many perennial vegtables are also more vitamin rich and have other benefits, such as bee plants, food for birds, medicines etc.

A.R.T. Forest Garden Totnes La Collardiere Perennial Planting

It will be a garden, not a forest! But a garden which seeks to imitate a forest in the way that layers of plants from large trees, down to ground covers and everything in between, coexist in sometimes mutually beneficial relationships. Every forest garden is different depending on the space available and the wishes of the gardener. We intend to feature many of our existing range of herbs and edible flowers amongst the other trees, shrubs and climbers.